Anomaly
by BloodyTeddyBear
Summary: "Why should I apologize if Mira started it?"/"Because sometimes you need to apologize even when you feel you haven't done anything wrong." A Freed and Laxus character study.


_My favorite FT ship is Fraxus (even though it's probably one of the lesser liked ones throughout the fandom and throughout the actual series in its limited screen/page time) and I felt like I could maybe give a shot at younger them just being stupid teens. Laxus is 3 years older than Freed in canon so keep that in mind here. Also keep in mind that I haven't written anything for a long while, but I hope you enjoy this lil' character study thing anyways. :)_

 _-Teddy_

* * *

 **Anomaly**

* * *

Large footsteps boomed behind light pattering of smaller ones as a grandfather followed his grandson through the roads of Magnolia.

"Laxus! Come back here and apologize this instant!"

"Why should I apologize if Mira started it?"

The grandfather swooped the young child up into his massive hands and held him down with a finger as the child squirmed and squealed. The child eventually slowed his movements and stared at his grandfather in anger.

"Because sometimes you need to apologize even when you feel you haven't done anything wrong. Other people have feelings too, and you need to be considerate of them even if you don't understand them," the grandfather said. He released the child from his grasp and shrank down to a height in which he looked up to meet the child's eyes. He child crossed his arms and looked away defiantly.

* * *

"Shut the fuck up, Mira. I was the one who threw the bottle, not Erza," Laxus groaned as Erza's body flew in his direction and cracked a wooden pillar next to him.

"What did you just say, Laxus?"

Laxus blinked slowly and rolled his eyes, shoving his hands in his trouser pockets and walking towards the guild doors.

"Come back here you piece of shi-" Mira growled at the blond before getting knocked by a sword hilt, "Erza you fuckin' bitch!" The miniskirted girl clenched her fists and stomped her foot in the ground hard enough to splinter the wood beneath her feet.

Shouts followed as Laxus closed the door behind him. He slid his headphones over his ears as he walked down the streets of Magnolia.

Boots clicked at a running pace behind him and slowed down to a walking pace as the owner took deeper breaths. Laxus peered beside him and quirked an eyebrow before returning to looking forward. An elbow jutted into his side, "what the fuck, Freed?"

"Master is mad at you."

"No shit he's mad-"

Freed slapped his arm before grabbing it and holding Laxus from moving. "You need to stop stirring up mayhem in the guild, you're ostracizing all potential newcomers."

Laxus smacked his lips and dragged his gaze away. Freed shook the arm he still had a hold of and Laxus lazily turned back to look at him. Freed's face twitched and he slapped the headphones off of Laxus' ears.

"Fuckin'"

Freed grabbed Laxus' cheeks and stared up at him. Laxus fidgeted and pulled his hands out of his pockets to hover over Freed's.

"I'm mad, Laxus," Freed said when Laxus finally dropped his hands to his sides.

Laxus sighed. His right arm raised up to roll his hand for Freed to continue.

"You're awful." Freed released Laxus with enough force that Laxus sprang up slightly and raised both hands in surrender.

"Tough shit."

"No," Freed pointed and shoved his left index finger onto Laxus' closed lips. Laxus opened his mouth slightly and bit Freed's finger. Freed recoiled with a slight flush to his cheeks.

"Look, if you're not gonna say anything-"

"I'm trying but you're not listening."

"Why the fuck would I listen to you? You're just some kid my grandfather paid to look out for me."

Freed's eyebrows shook and his lips quivered.

"Oh, boo-hoo your family's fuckin' dead and all you have to show for it is a fucked up eye? Newsflash, you're not special. Guess what?" He gestured at his own scarred eye, "we've got the same fuckin' story. The only difference is that you get rewarded for being nice. A home, a new family, ways to get money. I get reprimanded for figuring out who I am in the shadow of my damned wizard saint grandfather. What else?"

"Laxus-" Freed raises his hand to Laxus.

"Exactly, even you, a fucking genius can't figure out what I've got. You know what, no one ever listens to me when I have something to say except a fuckin' fake-ass friend who only tells me what I'm doing wrong."

"I can praise you if you really wanted that, Laxus but you haven't given me the slightest inkling that such a thing is what you'd-" Freed rested his hand over his chest as he looked down.

"'The slightest inkling?' Freed come the fuck on with your bullshit. Can you act your age for once? You're thirteen yet you act like you're thirty." Freed inhaled sharply and moved his hands into his chin-length hair.

"Fine, I'll act my age," Freed sneered. "You know, Laxus. I asked Master Makarov if I could be friends with you and he said I most likely wouldn't be able to. I now truly understand why he said that." Freed flicked Laxus in the chest and sighed. "Back home, I really looked up to you. You were a 'really strong mage' and were 'super cool' and I thought..." he took a breath, "maybe that we could work together if I studied hard enough and practiced hard enough. I tried," he swallowed his spit, "so very much." He sniffled. "You know why my family is dead Laxus, and I'm disappointed that you'd try to use such a thing against me like that." He rubbed his hand over his face to wipe away tears. "I listen, Laxus. I truly do. I can't bear to continue listening as much as I do while you throw me around like a rag doll whenever you're mad about something that doesn't involve me." He clasped his hands together. "I dedicate myself to you and all I get is rage, Laxus."

He release his hands and gestured at him mimicking his deep tone, "I'm thirteen. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing." He returned to his typical posture and waited, staring at Laxus' feet.

"Well now you made me feel bad," Laxus offered. "You even 'used improper language.'"

Freed bristled and opened his mouth.

Laxus raised his hands in front of Freed, "I'm sorry."

Freed glared at the attempt. Laxus reached out and grabbed Freed's clenched fists, pulling them towards his own chest. "I'm really fuckin' sorry, Freed. I've been treatin' you like shit when you didn't deserve it because I got wrapped up in my own bullshit. Fuck, why are you so elekint-" He looked up and furrowed his brows.

"Eloquent," Freed smirked. Laxus shook his head and looked back to Freed.

"Exactly, you fuck. Point is, I wasn't listening to you even though you're the easiest person to understand because of your fucking thesaurus mouth. I'm sorry Freed." He sighed.

"Thank you for apologizing, Laxus."

"The fuck do I do now? I still feel bad."

"You should still feel bad. Now you know that you meant it."

"That's fucked." Laxus released Freed's hands.

"Indeed." Freed nodded.

"Now what?" Laxus asked, running his hand through his hair.

Freed quirked his head to the side and shrugged, smiling.

"Now you don't know? Damn it Freed. Of all times for you to not know something, you fucker."

Freed laughed quietly.

"Oh shut the fuck up."

"You could start trying to make up for being mean?"

"Yeah? How?"

Freed crossed one arm and rested his other elbow on it to bring his fingers to his lips. "I haven't had lunch yet."

Laxus tapped the back of Freed's head with his left hand and rested his arm around Freed's shoulder and pushing him to start walking. "You're lucky I haven't spent the money from my last job yet, ya' monster."

"You eat more than I do."

"For now, who knows when you'll hit your fuckin' growth spurt. I don't want to imagine you being taller than 150 centimeters. Gods forbid you have a rebellious phase or you shave your head."

"Disgusting."

Laxus snorted at his friend.


End file.
